hackTECH
by KimichiRamen
Summary: Some time in the 2030's a group of friends log on to the newly advanced World.
1. Introduction

"What's this? A new message...Better not be chainmail!"

Subject: Modding Sender: CC Corp Administrative Branch

Sign up now for a one-in-a-lifetime-opportunity!! Ending in 3 days, our contest allows the winner modding rights to his or her character design! Better hurry!! We expect this to be our most popular contest to date!

"A contest, huh? Sounds cool."

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"The World? It sounds pretty cool, and everyone's doing it, but I don't wanna become a total game junkie with no life, like that kid down the street. Whatever, I'll just try it!"

Username: Jinji

Password: xxxxxxxxxxxx

Verify: xxxxxxxxxxxx

Class: Twin Blade

Subclass: Scholar

Character: ( Select from below )

Congratulations, User Jinji! You are now registered to play in the World! Sign up date: June 3X, 203X.

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"Hey! Someone adding me to their friends list! Let's see; Name: Dawn, Class: Heavy Blade, Subclass: Rare Item Hunter. Finally! I thought she'd never get her new account set up!"

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"So, will you get the job done right?"

"Satisfaction guaranteed, sir."

"Ok, just sign here, name, class and sub, and I'll wire the gold to your account."

"Yessir."

Briar

Heavy Axeman

Bounty Hunter

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Subject: Update (all users) Sender: Candy

Hey, everybody!

I finally updated my strategy guide site! Check it out! I know everything there is to know about the World!

Candy, Wavemaster, Chief Informant

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"Oh my gosh! I think I won!"

Subject: Congratulations Sender: CC Corp Administrative Branch

Congratulations! You have won exclusive modding rights, to either modify your existing character design, or create your dream avatar! Just click this link!

"This is so cool! I'm only level three anyways...I'll make a design that totally owns!"

Username: Lupin

Password: xxxxxxx

Verify: xxxxxx

Class: Blademaster

Subclass:

"Hey! I wonder if I can get a player class as my sub with this modding dealy!"

Subclass: Werewolf

"Yes! That is so pwnage!"


	2. Of Hounds and Heavy Blades

Dawn waited for her friend Candy near the Chaos Gate in Mac Anu, "I am so lucky that she persuaded me to play again!" thought the Heavy Blade.

"Dawn! Hey Dawn!" She looked up to see a Wavemaster wearing only a pink dress with a black sash and green knee highs. Her blonde hair flowed behind her as she ran, and her aqua-colored eyes glittered with excitement. Candy leaned on her staff, gasping for breath.

"I just heard! There's a secret event going on at the Glacial Valley!"

"Then what're we waiting for?! I bet there's rare items to be won!" The two friends dove into the revolving gate.

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Jinji dashed across the snow, being chased by an enormous pack of hellhounds, "Hellhound Killing Contest?! Who's dumb idea was that?!" He held his orange cap firmly on his white hair as he ran, "Crap! A wall...Wouldn't you know it..." Jinji unsheathed his two daggers from under his left armpit and on his right hip and turned to face the hounds. They had just begun to charge when an enormous wolf leapt from the wall, to land with a shuddering thud in front of him.

"Finally!" Jinji cried as the wolf started to attack the hounds. Launching himself into the fray, the Twin Blade exclaimed, "What took you so long?!"

"My cram school ran late."

"Loser. Why don't you just take tutoring courses in the World, like a regular person?"

The wolf stood on its hind legs and changed form into a tall, silvery haired Blademaster. Curiously, though, his bottom half remained as a wolf. He grinned, "Because I'm not a video game junkie without a life!"

Jinji stuck his tongue out and gouged the last hound, "Well, I hope we at least win after all that!"

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The emcee twirled her mike stand and yelled, "Well, folks, we have surprising news. Two parties and a single player all killed the exact same amount of hounds! Whaddya say we head into SUDDEN DEATH?!"

She was greeted by tumultuous applause and ear-shattering cheers.

"Alright! This time, giants!"

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Briar darted between the giant's legs and slashed its Achille's tendon. He smiled grimly as the behemoth fell to the ground with a crash and raised his axe over his head. He was just about to land the final blow when he heard a scream.

"Hmm," he thought, "Weaklings...If they've already got the giant started on, I can finish it off, stealing both a point and the EXP from them." He looped off the giants head and ran off.

Briar slid down a snowdrift and gasped. Two girls, one with blue hair clad in silver, the other blonde in pink, were battling the largest giant he had ever seen. His enemy analysis screen popped up; he gasped again:

Frost Giant

Level 100+

There was no way that the two girls could fight it off by themselves. Not that he cared, he reminded himself, but that would be a lot of EXP! The blue-hair was slashing at its legs, trying to divert its attention away from Blondie, who had gotten herself backed into a corner, the idiot. Briar sneered. Noobs.

Blondie shouted a spell that he didn't recognize, but it apparently failed, because she was swatted away and hit the wall with a sickening crunch.

"Candy!" Bluehair shouted and tried to run to her friend. She was stopped by an enormous hand slamming to the ground in front of her.

Briar began to run forward, twirling his axe in anticipation, when he heard footsteps from behind. Not more hellhounds?

A white-haired Twin Blade dashed by and winked at him, "Trying to steal the EXP, eh? Let us in on this!"

"Us" referred to himself and a large grey wolf loping behind him. The two attacked the giant from behind, slashing the backs of its knees.

Briar growled and ran forward as well, hacking at its legs as he would a tree trunk.

Then, Bluehair blew past and flipped through the air, sinking her sword into the giant's neck. Briar blinked as her saw her; Heavy Blades didn't usually have wings!

She pulled out her sword and jumped over its head, slashing at its face as she went by. She hit the ground running, with a look of concern on her face as she dashed to her friend. The cloud of experience points caught up to her when she stopped to cradle Blondie's head. "Candy!" she muttered, "Wake up!"

The Wavemaster's eyes fluttered open and she smiled weakly, "I'm alright...I landed in a snow bank. Thanks, though, Dawn."

Dawn turned around, her hands on her hips, "So thanks...thanks a lot! Who are you guys anyways?"

The Twin Blade smiled, "I'm Jinji, a scholar, and this is my friend Lupin."

The wolf had turned into an armored Blademaster, with what looked to be furry pants. "Hiya."

Briar put his hands into the deep pockets of his inkwell green trench coat, blowing upwards into his acid green hair, "Briar."

The Heavy Blade smiled, "Hey! I'm Dawn. My character design looks rare, but its actually a glitch; In my old file, I was a Heavy Axeman, and when I switched, my character stayed the same!"

The Wavemaster nodded, "It's actually a common occurence these days. Anyways, my name is Candy." She yawned, and then her eyes lit up, "Hey you guys, even though Dawn technically finished it off, we all took part in killing the giant. I say we become a party! That way, we can each get the 50 000 gold prize money and weapon upgrade!"

Briar rolled his eyes, "I work better alone."

"C'mon!" Jinji protested, "We all worked together! Besides, if we don't, Candy and Dawn win the competition!"

The two girls smiled evilly. "That's right!" they chorused.

Briar scowled, "...fine."

"Yay!"


	3. Of Magic And Making Out?

"Wait," the emcee frowned, "You want to enter as a party _after _the event?"

"Yes..."

"Umm I think that's against protocol..."

"Whatever! C'mon! Let us!"

The emcee started to protest and then went rigid, "Yes," she said in a monotone, "A party. Your winnings." She held out five bags and five small silver cards.

Jinji raised his eyebrow as they all reached out to take a bag of gold and an upgrade card, "Eh, right..." he turned to his friends as they walked away, "What was that all about?"

Candy shrugged and smiled at him, "I dunno, but we got our prizes, so it's all good." She twirled her staff.

Jinji grinned back at her and then turned to Briar, "So, buddy, are you gonna stick with us?"

Briar turned away, "Hell no. And I'm not your 'buddy'."

Lupin shoved him, "Oh c'mon! Loosen up! You should be welcoming friends!"

Briar just scowled again and muttered audibly, "Teme."

Dawn rolled her eyes and swung her sword in a figure-eight, "So, what now?"

Jinji turned to her, "Whaddyou mean?"

"I mean, what do we do? Where are we heading? We're s'posed to be a party, right?"

"I dunno... wanna go to the field and beat on weaklings?"

Dawn smiled broadly and nodded.

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Surprisingly, Briar stayed with the party, but seemed to be moping. Dawn was ecstatic.

"Yes! With someone as strong as you in our party, we can win more events and get rare items!

Candy made a face that suggested her friend was demented and rolled her eyes at Jinji, who snickered. She turned as she heard a noise, and was startled by Lupin's gleeful shout.

"Yes! A fight! Mage-types, too!"

Their enemy-analyzer screens popped up:

Red Ministers (10)

Level 30

Lupin howled with excitement and leapt into the fray, striking with his sword, claws and feet in a mad frenzy.

Candy struck down one of the red-robed monsters and whirled around to curse another. She shrieked as another Minister flew directly at her face, claws outstretched.

"Candy!" She started and looked the other way. She screeched again and ducked, a dagger narrowly missing her head. The blade struck the attacking Minister right between its glowing red eyes, biting into the dead, grey flesh. It died with a scream of pain and fury.

Candy dove into Jinji's arms, clearly in shock, "Oh! That was so scary!" She nuzzled into his orange vest as Jinji awkwardly patted her with his black-sleeved arms.

The Twin Blade blushed and grinned sheepishly, "It was just a lucky throw, s'all." Candy hugged him tighter, making him think, "Whoa. I just met her!"

Dawn blew past, slashing another Minister and yelled, "Get out of it, you sissies!"

Candy blushed and glared at Dawn, casting lightning at the nearest monster to prove to Dawn that she wasn't a sissy. Her friend giggled furtively and winked at Jinji.

Still blushing, Jinji cut down the last Red Minister. Lupin came bounding over and nudged him, "What was THAT?!"

"I dunno, but I'm not complaining!"


End file.
